Practice cartridge



March 21, 1933. A F; GAIDOS y1,902,771

PRACTIC CARTRIDGE Filed DSC. 22, 1930 VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 19133 ALONZO r. cAInosoF REDwoon'cITY, cnr.'IroiiixinA Y PRACTICE cnivriai:caizl Application :filed December 22, 1930, Serial No. 503,957.

My invention refers to improvements -in practice cartridges for use in firearms, preferably for use in short range target practice or small game hunting, and has for its pri- 5 mary object' the provisionV of means for adapting the main chargeof the standard commercial blank cartridge for use as the charge to propel the bullet throughthebore of the firearm.

An object of my invention is to provide a means of varying at will, the range and velocity of the bullet fired from any firearm in which my practice cartridge is used. v

Another object of my invention is to providefor the complete` combustion ofl the gases evolved from the burning of the powder, thus the maximum pressures are obtained against the' base of the bullet.

With the foregoing objects in view it will be'noted that it is possible to adapt tom'y practice shell, factory loaded, commercial blank ammunition, preferably the inexpensive, rim re type, the charge ofl which is used to propel the bullet through the bore of the firearm. For instance, I insert into my practice shell in the usual manner, a .3,0 caliber bullet behind which Iinsert la .22 caliber extra long blank cartridge, the charge in which, when exploded by the firing pin, propels the bullet through the .30 caliber barrel at suiiicient force suitable for indoor target practice or for small game hunting. Likewise, I may use a standard .50 caliber blank cartridge in the same manner to propel a 37 millimeter caliber ball through the bore of small cannon, or in the case of practice firing with 75vmil1imeter caliber projectiles, a 37 millimeterblank cartridge may be used. `This method will provide inexpensive target practice with the provision that the propelling charge can instantly be placed behind the projectile.

Should I desire to reduce the muzzle velocity or the range of the bullet, it will only be necessary to substitute a shell containerv of shorter length, or in the case of'smallcannon shells, a reducedblank load may be furnished. Y i f g My practice cartridge-would be very de#` sirable for use by recruit troops, asitl would 5,0 dispense with the gallery-practice L22' caliber rifle with which theyy are given preliminary instructionon the rifle range. AvOn l account of the fact that Vthe mechanismy Vof.

the gallerypractice rifle differs fromthat 'y i of theregular service rifle, preliminary tarv get practice can be conveniently taught the recruit inthe gallery range with the regular issued rifle using myk practice cartridges.

This will eliminate entirelyl the necessity of the recruit to receiveinstruction in the use of ytwo distinct types'of weapons. vIt' is a wellknown fact that after one vbecomes ac-V customed to the sightavmechanism, trigger pull and weight of one riie, Vicult to immediately become another type of rifle.

In the case of the sportsmanhunting for deer or other large game, he may 'use' the same rifle in hunting for rabbits, fowl, etc.

accustomed to VItawill only be necessary for him to v'equip' himself with Vtwo kinds of cartridges, .the regular high powered' cartridge for use against large game and my practice car tridge for use against wild fowl, rabbits, o r

other small game'. Y y Y Forms which my invention may assume are exemplified in the following description.r and illustrated in the accompanying draw?, ing in whichz- 1 f 80 Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional viewfof'V a complete round of military ammunition such as is used in small arms.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional-'.viewlofi,

the components of my practice cartridge. y 8,5' Y` Fig. 3 is a side view ofmy practice car-flv tridge. i Y 'Y Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view ofV a practicev cartridge for use in side" arms suchas pistols, revolvers, etc.

PATENT ossi "i it is quite difr` 65.7.

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Fig. 5 is a View of Fig. 4, taken .on line i Fig. 6 isa longitudinal'sectional vievv of af practice cartridgeftor use in small cannon..

placing ythe bullet into the practice shell.

. a tip2, and` n n n n n n n 'is inserted ma' longitudinallybored hole 4c,

` secure theiring pin -3-in the base-'1., the pin '3 is loosely rupset atb into the counterbore 7 tion. When firing pin igniting; `the, main or Fig.'9'is a longitudinal sectionallview of a reloadable practice shell.

In( order to thoroughly understand the functioning of an ordinary cartridge, itl Will be necessary toreter to Fig'. l' ofthe accome f 'Y panyingsheetoi draiviiigin` vjvhichA rel:

`.such as is `use-d to khouse lthe ldierent com resentsf in general, an ordinary -metal case ponente oit around of small arms ammuniing mechanism it ignites ulminate in prim er C', the flash vfrom Which enters aperture D,

they expansion ci" gases from; which exerts a pressure on base F of bullet.G,driving it' through tliebore of theibarrel alongitstra.y `yectoryto a point ket impact. n p

Referring again to the drawing indetail,

iai'ticularly tok Figs.y 2k and 3, my practice composed ot mainly a base 1 an auxiliary tiring pin 3 which cartridge is resting againstshoullder 5 of base y1. To

of the basey 1, alter insertion. f

The base 1 and the tip 2 are held together as an assembly by male thread 8 on tip 2, and female thread 9 in base 1. A hole 10 is bored through the tip 2 to rictionally engage a blank cartridge 11. The tip 2 is counterbored at 12 to rictionally engage bullet 13. V

lt will be noted that when the entire unit is assembled as in F ig. 3, it very much resembles a round of small arms ammunition such as is used in military iirearms, and it will be apparent that when the unit is loaded with the blank cartridge 11 and the bullet 13, andplaced in the chamber of the rearm, it will li'unction similarly to a regular cartridge, as the tiring mechanism of the arm will cause the tiring pin 3 to strike the auX- iliary iii-ing pin 3 at the base G. The tips 6250in the firing pin 3 strike a rim type primer 11- of the blank cartridge 11, thereby eX- ploding the powder content-s of the cartridge, the gases trein which exert a pressure en the base4 13EL of the bullet 13, driving it through the bore olf the arm.

. ln a practice cartridge for use in revolversor pist-cls, firing center fire ammunition, only a single unit section is required, for the tact that ammunition for this class of firearms is somewhat shorter in length, and for this reason I provide a shell case` 14;, as in Fig. el, havinga bored hole 15,'to rethe Vend oli the blank cartridgelile.

4). is concentrically boredwith a shell case 14 to' receiveiand trictionally retain a bullet 1S, It Will be apparent that When the firing pin Bolt the iirearins inechanism`r strikesthe cartridge 11 at 11e, exploding the charge therein, the gases expand in the counterbored section 16, building up ar pressure against thekbasef 17 of tl'iebullet 18,]driving it through the bore oftheiirearm, p p

- In' largervr ammunition such .as small caney nonor 'the like, a high powered blank carf tridge is adapted tothe `practice shell as in It will be noted that said bored -hole15 is .offset 'from the center ot case 14,

Fig. 6. A practice` shell is provided for the k37 millimeter caliber cannon in which the propelling charge; E, f

shell 21 is,y couiiterbored at 2.2, to receiveand frictio'nally engage projectile 23. i The counterbored chamber l 22 has still another function to perform, asiitxvillbe noted .that a" exists between the base 23eand n .This space iszprovided to furnish additionall oily-` space 22L gen to the kpowder to `itacilitate more rapidr combustion ot f the powder gases; i The shell is boredoutlat 2st,*to jtrictionally engage ak ..50 caliber -inachme gun ,blank .cartridge 249.

To cfinveniently extract the cartridge 2li, recessed notchl 251s provided in the-base of the shell 21, as access for screw' driver or blade. It Will be apparent that When the entire unit is loaded and inserted in the breech ofthe cannon, the firing pin of the cannon mechanism ivill explode the primer and the main charge in the 50 caliber blank cartridge, and the pressure of the gases `Will be exerted against the base ci? 23:L of the projectile 23, driving it througlilthebore of the cannon. Y

For the purposeof conveniently loading the bullet 13 in the tip 2, l provide a fixture 19, (Fig. 8) invvhieh is bored vertically, a hole 2O to receive the bullet 13 in inverted position. The neck 2a of the tip 2 is inserted in the bored hole 2O of the fixture 19and tapped with the hand at the threaded end section 8, forcing the bullet 13 into the counterbored end section 12 ol the tip 2. The hole 20 is provided 'for a knockout pin 'for tight )fitting bullets.

While certain features of my invention arc more or less specifically illustrated, l Wish it to be understood that `various changes as to form and proportion may he resorted to Within the scope of theappended claims. lsimilarly Wish it to be understood that the materials and the finish of the several parts; employed may be such as the experience and the judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or the various uses demand. l'also Wish it to be understood that the practice cartridge may be made in all standard calibers as well as calibersof future firearms. The reloadable ammunition component container shown in Fig. 9, includes a shell 27 which has a male thread-28 on its rear end upon which latter is threadedly secured a primer housing 29. l The primer housin 29 is preferably of the center fire type an lit has a central recess 31"to receive a primer against the inner shoulders 37 at the reducedend of the shell 27. After the bullet 34 is thus inserted in place, a desired amount of explosive powder is poured or placed into the shell 27, to act as a propelling charge. Then the housing 29 is vthreaded in place and the cartridge withA all its components is ready to be placed in a high pressure lirearm. .It is obvious therefore, that in this manner low pressure, reloadable practice shells, can be conveniently red from the usual high pressure fire arm. It is also to be noted that it is not necessary to reduce or change the caliber of the fire arm.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is: Y

l. In combinatioma shell fitting into a high pressure rearm, longitudinal tubular shell sections 'forming said shell, means to detachably secure said Sections to each other in end to end relation, the section at the discharge end of the shell having a recess in its free end, and having an elongated passage of smaller diameter than the diameter of said recess extending from the recess to the other end of said section, a projectile 1n said recess, a blank cartridge in the passage l being shorter than the said passage, the secured end of the other section being adapted to engage and back up the rim of the `cartridge, and an auxiliary ring pin in the second section, an end of said pin being adaptedV to be acted upon by center re action, a firing mechanism and rim iiring elements on the other end `of the pin to act on the rim of the cartridge, when the firing pin is acted upon by the firing mechanism of the rearm. v v

2. A reloadable practice shell'comprising two longitudinal shell sections demountably secured to each other, an endof one section having a recess in its free end to receive a ter than the projectile, theiiring end of kthe section being recessed and apertured, an auxv iliary firing pm v111 said second section in operative position relative to the usual ring mechanism of a firearm, and a rim ring element on the end of said pin adjacent the rim of the'cartridge.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my' hand at San FranciscofCalifornia, this 12th day of December, 1930. j

\ ALONZO F. GAIDOS.

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projectile therein, and Yhaving a passage 

